Means for installing electric outlets.



No. 832,862. PATENTBD OCT. 9, 1906.

L. KALISG'HEELA MEANS FOR INSTALLING ELBCTEIG QUTLETS. APPLWATION FILED 00T.1,19o3.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

`x'ENTB) OCT. 9, 1905. L. KxLISGHER.v MEANS FOR INSTALLING ELECTRIC OUTLETS.

APPLIOATION FILED OOT.1, 1903.

2 SHEETS-:SHEET 2.

'- poleslof a switch or other circuit-controlling 30 "".lofelectric-light and bell or annunciator cir- 5 screwed; ,f, the clcaranccssothat they will be in proper j noU'1'-sKALIscnF.R,org-snooiiLYN; NEW Yorin.

. .Menue FomNsrALLme. ELECTRIC OUTLETS.

Patented Oct. 9, 1906.

f Applicata nea seater 1, i903. serai No. 1755.277.

To all whom it may concern:

,Befit known that AI,`Lonis KALIseHnii, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of ,VNew Yorkghav" invented certain new and useful Im' i'ovements in Meansfor Installing Electric utlets, fully described and represented i n the following specification and the acc'mpanyng drawings, forming a part of A.: the saine.

uThisinvention relates to means for installingthe outlets for electric-light, annunciat'or, telephone, and other circuits in walls .or partitions, and particularly ireproof walls oiflpartitions. The term outlet as eni- 'plloyed herein is intended to apply generally to those receptacles which are located in awall orpartition and with which the circuitwires are connected or .through which such ncircuit-wires pass for connection with the means, 'a telephone, a plug, or other devices, some of'these outlets bein termed in the trade outlet-boxes, out fet-receptacles, switch-outlets, switch-boxes, &c. For zconvlenien'ce, however, in the detailed description which will be hereinafter given the improvements of the present invention will bey described particularly in connectionwith the installation of the outlets or outlet-boxes cuits, and the installation of such outlets in fireproof walls or partitions, in which conn'ection the/present improvements have peculiar advantages, such description being isufficient to instruct those skilled in the art as 'to how to use the'present improvements in thefinstallation of outlets of other electric systems and' in other walls or partitions.

`According to the present method of: installing electric-light and annunciator or bell systems in fireproof partitions or walls (and thisis true also as to other electric systems) the brickwork of the partition or wall is iirst completed. Chases are then cut therein z -.or.y iron conduits, which serve as raceways through which the wires may be drawn, and clearances are also cut therein for the outlets, the location of these clearances being previously .laid out or indicated upon the brickwork. The conduits are then laid in the chases thus cut for them and the outlets set insuch elcarances,wooden blocks being let into-the clearances, to which theI outlets are The outletsl are thenvailjusted ink alinement relatively to the base ofthe partil tion or wall and so that their edges or lips will be in proper relation to the surface -line of the plaster to be afterward applied to the brickwork-that is to say, at the proper distance therefrom, which is usually about one thirtysecond of an inch. The outlets are thensecured in position by means of cement and the wall or partition is finished, as byplastering, an openin however, being left in the plaster in line wit each outlet through which access may behad to the interior ofthe outlet for the purpose of drawing the wires through the conduits and outlet and connecting them with the circuit-controlling or other devices located in or connected with the outlets. The electrical work is then completed by securing to the lips or edges of the outlets switch-plates', face-plates, canopies, or the like, which cover up said outlets and the openings in the plaster in which they are located. This method of installing outlets is objectionable for many reasons, some of which are the following: In the first place, it is expensive, slow,and laborious in that it requires the completion of the brickwork of the partition or wall and then that portions of the partition or Wall be removed to provide the chases and clearances for the conduits and outlets, each of which Ichases and clearances must be cut separately and in the case of the clearances with very that such outlet may be in proper alinoinent with 'the base-line of' the partition or wall and also have its edges or lips properly positioned with reference to the surface or plaster line of the wall when the latter is completed.v Such accurate cutting of the clearance andpositioning of the outlet therein necessary for two reasons. In the first place, there is secured to each outlet a 'face-plate or switchplate or similar device, which is, exposed upon the surface of the wall and the position of which upon the surface of the wall is determined by the position in the brlckwork of the outlet which it covers. It therefore follows that if an outlet be out of proper alincment with the base-'line of thcwall or partition, the ,face-,plate or switch-plate ortho like secured thereto will also be correspomlingly out of proper position or alinement relatively to the base ofthe partition and will thus present an unsightly appearance. ln the next place, the

faceplates and switch-plates or the like for face-p ate or switch-plate 02u-the like tait,

casing to continue the ironwor out to the face of the plasterline in order to and it is also necessaryto employ p1 specliel o t e out et compl with the requirements of the underwriter s miles, the addition 'of this special casl' the same.

Fig. l.

ing making a rather costly and unworkinan .like job.` 1 Agaiinif the outlet should be so set or positioned in the brickworkof the 4wall that the edges or lips thereof project beyond the surface ofthe plaster' the only remedy is.` to cut out the entire outlelnrseut the clear-l.

anceltherefo'r in the brickwrk. and reset and `readjust the outlet therein, aniterln of considcrable ex ense. A 4 1 lt .is the o ject of the resent invention to provide means for insta ling electric outlets yvvhich all of these diiiiculties are overcome` and by whichthe Work of instelling such out- .lets is much simplified and can be performed I`much more expeditiously -and economically than is possible With the methodsheretofore practiced. The means provided for this purpose by the present invention, brielys-tated, consists of a positioning and supporting. member for the outlet or outlets Whiclris first introduced into and properly positioned and supported in the space to'be occupied by the partition or wall so that the outlet or outlets thereinw'ill be in proper alineinent -With the baseline of the partition or wall, with their 'outer edges or lips also in proper relation to the surface-line thereof, the wall orpartition being then builtup about the outlet or out-- lets and said arm, which during the operation of building will support the outlet or outlets A'in its or their proper position.

For a better understanding of iny invention a detailed description thereofwill now he given, reference being had to the accom panyingl drawings, in Which- Figure l is ahorizontal section of a Wall or Ipartition containing the improvements ofthe present invention. Fig. 2 is a frontview of Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 of Fig. 4; is a detail of the device e1nployed for supporting and positioning the outlets in the space to be occupied by the Wall or partition before the latter is built up. Fig. 5 is a front view of a Wall or partition 1n Whichere installed -a telephone and a plug- -outlet in accordance with the present inven- Ition in addition to the electric-light and annunciator circuit outlets of Figs. 1, 2, and'.

. Referring to said drawings, and particularly to Figs. 1 to 4, A is a standard rectanguiar verticalfranie-piece of a `Wall o1' pertipiece A, and t tion, yto which the plaster B and the trim C dill a door or Window are attached. This framev piece may and, as shown herein., dees serve as the support for the outlet su pr'n'ting-andv positionin device D, vvhich Wi now described. t Will be understood,- however, that any other suitable means present inthe Wall. or partition space, either temporarily Lor.'

. tothe-side' 4 of theframeiece A. The base 1 is *also providedwitha literal` extension 5, which rests aglzinst 'theside- 4 of theframe- 's latter extension is also lprovided with edownwadly-extending portion 'atright angles thereto, provided With anv opening through which; a screw 7- may be passed for the pur ose of'securing it to the adjacent side Soi t e frame A. ltwill thus' 'be' obsellYd. that the base 1 conforms tothe angleormedby the ysides 1i 8 of the frame-. piece A `and when'secured to the sides 4 8 it j -vvill be i eld firmlyin position on the frame-` picce, so Y,that it cannot be pulled awaycr oosened..v The supporting and positioning 'device D may be further strengthened bythe .addition of a brace 9, extending from the base 1 tothe arm 2. Thebase 1 is such, as ref: .Will also be observed, that it will not only firmly and rigidly support the arm 2 upon lthe frame-piece A, es pist stated but because of its conformation will `vghen attached` to the frame-piece Anecessarily assume such a pom5 sition thereon as to bring the outer edges or lips of the outlets which it supports into the proper i osition relatively to the plasterline of t e partition or Wall, as shown in Fig.

1that is toy say, (according to-present 1.o

methods of installing outlets,) about onev thirty-second of `an inch behind the plasterline. The arm 2 may be of any desired sha e and may be of any suitable length, ac-

cor ing to the number of outlets Awhich it is 1 i5 intendeli to support. As shownherein, it is designed to support tWo such outlets, and for this purpose 1s provided 'with two outletsupporting portions or enlargements 10 11,

suitably' separated from each other, those izo portions of .the arm 2 between and beyond these outlet-supporting portions l() l1 being preferably reduced or made narrower for the urpose of lightness and economy in manuacture. Upon these outletsupporting or 1 z5 venlarged portions 10 11 of the arm 2 two outlets 1,2 13 are supported, the former,.12, of' which in the case shown is designed to conf tain -devices for controlling an annuneiator or bell .ci1cui t and the latter, 13, of which is ige designed to contain devices for controlling an electric-light circuit. Each ol these enV largements 1l) 11 upon the arm 2 isA rovided with two sets et means for the attac ment of outlets consisting oi openings 14 14, aiu ranged at right angles to eachother, through which screws 15 may be .passed to secure the outlets 12 13 to the arm. Thereasou 7tor the provision of these two sets of yo enings .14 14 iu these enlargements 11) 11, o? the arm is to enable that arm to be used either in the horizontal position illustrated in the drawings or, .it desired or necessitiA in a vertical position, in which latter case ti e openings 14 'would be the openings used for'securiu the outlets to the arm 2, the o )eningsll4 eing the ones used, as shown, wlien the arm 2 is arranged in horizontal position,

Outlets lor electric-light, .annu nciator, telephone, and other circuits4` all usually made of standard sizes," all the outlets of the same kind being made usually of. the same size. Outlets of different kinds, how ever, are made ol dillerent sizes, the outlet, as 12, for annunciator or bell work, for instance, 'being ot' less depth than the outlet, as 13, for an electric-light'circuit. (See Fig. 1.) ln order, therefore, to adapt the arm 2 for the annunciator-circuit outlet 12, and also for the electric-light-circuit outlet 13, so that the outer edges or lips of each outlet will when secured to the arm occupy the proper position relatively to the laster-line of the wall or partition, the en argementy l0, to which the 'outlet 12 is secured, is raised or offset so as to projectslightly be Tond the en largement l1 for supporting t e outlet 13, and thus .make up. the difference in depth between said outlets 12 and 13, as illustrated in Fig. 1. Similarly if the arm 2 be dosivned to support other outlets than those i lust-rated, and which differ slightly in thickness to a greater or less extent `than the outlets 12 13, such difference in thickness can be compensated for by suitably' thickeningv or thinningthe enlargement 10' or 11, the case may be, to compensate for such dition ence, orin the case el outlets which may be Very materially shallower than the outlets 12 13 suitable distance-pieces maybe interposed between them and the supportingeign 2, so as to brinsr their outer edges into pro ier position with relation to the surface or p asy ter line ol the wall or partition.

ln order to have the outlet or outlets can' ried by the arm 2 set plumb or true with relation to the base-line oi the partition or Wall when the arm`2 is attached to the fra1nepiece A, said arm may' belevclcd by ineens oi a si'iiritflevel applied to the arm 2 when in horizontal position or to the base 1 thereof when the arm is arranged in vertical position.

l prefer, however, to provide the arm 2 with a rib 17 lor receiving the spirit-level when the arm is in horizontal position and with a seeondrib 18 at right angles thereto for receivin the spirit-level when the erin is arrange in vertical. ositicn. y A

Y In the installation of theoutlets 12 13 in Wills or ertitions thefpositioring and sup porting,r et'fice D is irst introduced into the space to be'occupied by the Wall or partition when built and attached. or secured in the manner herr-rotore described to. the framepiece A or to' any other suitable support present temporarilyv or permanently in the space to be occupied by thou/allor partition. When so scoured, ajspiritdevel is applied to the arin 2 or its has/e 1, (or to the rib 17er, 18,). aecordingas the arm 2 is arran ed in hor'in zcntal or vertical position, and i 'any change is shown bythe spirit-level tobe necessary 1n the position of the arm 2 in order that it and fthe outlet or outlets .thereon shall be in proper alinement 'relatively te the base-line` of the partition sueh change may be made by loosening one or the other of the screws in the base 1` and then properly adjusting the arm 2 and securing it inV its position of adjustment. After the arm 2 has been properly positioned the Wall or partition is built around it and the outlets 12 13, end in the case of r'ireproof walls or partitions the briekwork, usually consisting of blocks 20 of irebrick, will be V built up around the outlets 12 13 and the arm 2, so that said brickwork 'will inelose said outlets'and arm, chases being cut in the' Wall as itis thus built up for the Wire-conduits 2l. When the wall is completed and the plaster applied thereto, the circuit-Wires will be drawn through the conduits 21 and into the outlets 12 13 and be connected with circuit-controlling devices contained therein,

which in the case shown are operated by push-lguttons carried by face-plates or switchsplates 22 23, secured to the',outer edges or lips of the outlets 12 13 inthe usuel manner, as illustrated in Fig. 3.

Although the present invention has been described in detail in connection with outlets for electric-light and annunciator circuits, it is to be understood that it is also useful in connection with outlets and the. installation thereof ,y of other kinds of circuits, and whethel such outlets contain circuitrontrolling means or not. For` example, it may the used in connection with the outlet for av telephone-circuit (the base-board of which' forms, in cilect, the face-plate) or an outlet-plug, as illustrated in Fig. 5. lt may also `be used in outlets which do not contain circiiit-controlling devices.

The method ct installing electric-light and other systems in walls or partitions involving,l the use of the positioning and supporting arm described in this application, as Well as a. wall or partition in which such electric-light and other systems are installedby means of such supporting-arm, are not claimed in this application, as they form the subjeet-matter 0f another application, filed byme September 25, 1903, Serial lo. 174,534.

What I claim is- 1. A positioning. and supporting device for use in instelling outlets for eleetric circuits,

in wellsor partitions, the-same comprising e" buse 1 and' en erm 2 provided withtwo sets of openings 14,'14 zirronged et en angle to each other, substantially as described.

2. A positioning end supporting device for use in installing outlets `or eleetrirl circuits in Wells or partitions, the seme coniprisinv s base 1 and en arm 2 provided, et each o a plurality of points, with two sets of openings 14, 14 arranged at en angle to each other; substantially es described.

3. A positioning and supporting device for use in install' outlets for electric circuits, in Walls or parutions, the seme comprising a bese 1 81rd an outlet-supporting erm 2 pron vided with Ineens for receiving a spirit-level whereby the device may be leveled in its po# sition of use, substantially es described.

4. A. positioning and supporting devie'e for use in installing outlets for electric circuits,

in Wells or partitions, the seine comprising a hase 1 and an outlet-sup ortmg arm 2 provided with two sets of eveling means ering witnesses.

` LGIS ILLSCHER;

Witnesses:

. J. A. GRAVES, T. F. KEHoE.. 

